


On the Path of Duty

by Merfilly



Series: Slip In Time Pern AU [6]
Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-20 03:09:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dragons are being injured, and the Weyrs demand action</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Path of Duty

"Something has to be done!"

F'lar's impassioned words hit all of those present, even as the low keening of an injured dragon set every human's hair on end. The creatures were so alien to the majority of those present, yet no one could deny the fact that the dragon seemed to be crying more for his partner, also injured, than for himself.

"It is true that the High Reaches, Crom, Nabol, and Ruatha are problematic," Lord Sangel began, only to be cut off by Groghe.

"Shove off into your ocean, Sangel," Groghe said. "I've had to field an army for all of my Holding, same as my father did, and it eats up both profit and resources! Master Harper Robinton has shown us the Records surrounding the Tradition of Hold Autonomy, and the need for focus within Hold Borders! I am grateful the dragonriders have come to save us from the Thread that will destroy any and all, no matter their Hold or Craft! The least we can do, to ease their burden, and our own, during perilous times, is to oust those usurpers!" He turned to F'lar then, ignoring the rumbles around him. "My sympathy and duty to you, Wingleader F'lar, for the injury T'sum and his dragon have suffered."

"Your Hold has been gracious to my men, and the Healers are doing all they can," F'lar said courteously, his eyes flicking over those who were speaking in low tones. "I do apologize for interrupting the Conclave so abruptly, but this is the third attempt to ambush a Wing in flight on their after-Fall sweep," he said, voice rising with enough force to quell the whispers. "And this time, they successfully injured one of my Seconds. Do any of you really wish to face Fall, with your expansive lands of crops and wood-holdings, without dragons in the sky?!"

Vincet shuddered hard on that. "The Weyrs would not pull away from us, would they?" he asked of Malloree.

"If our dragons are at risk from land as well as air, we will have to cease to patrol those lands," Malloree said firmly. "Which would increase the burden on those Holds that border the offenders, as they would have to be vigilant against burrows crossing the land."

That set off a new, feverish round of discussion. Not many had considered the thought of burrows stretching down from lands that were not in the hands of those who had the Blood to Hold.

"WeyrLeader J'sef," Lord Warbret finally said, speaking up for the Holds more distant from the affected areas. "I know I do not understand the situation with full impact. Ista resisted the wave of conquest that followed the Abandonment of the Three Weyrs, and had little participation in the Troubles. Exactly what do you expect of us in order to maintain the dragons' safety?"

J'sef looked at the Lord, then around the room. "It is a Hold issue. Preservation of the land from the skies is our task. We will not overstep our bounds… but if asked, the Weyrs will assist in any Hold and Craft plan to secure the safety of the land!"

"Certainly you would put it off on our shoulders!" Larad burst out. 

"They are your cast-offs, the strongest by might, but not by morals, so yes, it is your task!" Malloree snapped at her Lord Holder. "We, the Weyrs, did what was needed two hundred Turns ago! Rather than risk Pern, we **cauterized** our own ranks! Fully half of our number lost to their greed and ambition! Now, you have to deal with just four men and their loyalists! FOUR men!"

As she ceased to speak, Larna made a circle-up motion, and the rest of the Weyr Leaders, as well as F'lar, closed ranks and turned for the door.

"Where do you go?" Lord Raid demanded.

"To let the Holds and the Crafts seek a plan for the better of Pern. When you have a course of action, we will be waiting," G'ver answered.

`~`~`~`~`

Lord Larad, Lord Groghe, and Master Miner Nicat were the delegation chosen to come to the Weryleaders once the Conclave had found a unilateral plan to follow in regards to the four recalcitrant Holds. 

"This is a Hold matter, but good men and women with no choice at all will die if we merely invade, even with an overwhelming force," Lord Groghe began.

"So it is our request," Lord Larad began in a tight voice, "that the Weyr provide transportation of up to seventy-five well-armed men into the grounds of the Holds where each self-styled Holder resides."

"We will not ask that the dragons or their riders remain, should there be danger immediately present, nor do we ask that you join the fights beyond this transportation," Master Nicat finished for the three. 

"And the welfare of the Holds in question? Who will see to that?" Larna asked.

"If any of the Blood can come forward before mid-Turn, they will be evaluated by the Conclave to be held then. Until such time, groups of Blooded Lordlings will be appointed to safeguard… and should no one of the Blood come forward by then, the Conclave will decide among the Bloods based on merit, rather than rank and connections," Larad told the Weyr Leaders.

"The Weyrs will join with this plan, so long as all strikes are timed to coincide. We want no drums or fires to warn the others," Malloree said, as they had already discussed just what they were willing to do. This fell within it. "The riders accompanying will provide some combat support, and the Weyrs will stand ready to hold prisoners as needed," she added, making Larad snap his eyes around to her. "Lord Larad, while we cannot interfere without Hold and Craft union on the matter, it is our dragons most at risk, and the people within the Holds who suffer from poor leadership. That makes it a Weyr matter as well, and we do not shirk the rougher choices in life."

The Lord of Telgar inclined his head, finally understanding the demand, the withdrawal, and now… them. It was the best answer, given the history of how the Weyrs and the Holds had come to war in the first place.


End file.
